Your bridge just washed out again because of rain.
Honestly, sometimes it feels like the universe has a very particular sense of humour when it comes to Edmonton. You know that bridge in northwest Edmonton, the one over the culvert on 137th Avenue near St. Albert Trail? The one Epcor *cancelled* work on earlier this year? Well, it just washed out. Again. After what is now officially the rainiest summer on record here. It’s like a particularly grim, if predictable, haiku: rain, culvert ignored, bridge gone. One begins to expect these things.
### The Deluge and the Details
So, what happened, precisely? We've had a frankly unprecedented amount of rain. I mean, we get rain, sure, but this summer has been a biblical-level soaking. Epcor had plans to do some work on the culvert under that 137th Avenue bridge this year, but, as they've now admitted, they cancelled it. Their statement, and I quote, was that "It was only after recent record-breaking rainfall events that we observed damage significant enough to warrant near-term action." Which, you know, makes you wonder what *kind* of damage they were waiting for. Perhaps a full-scale reenactment of the High Level Bridge disappearing into the River Valley, just to be sure.
* The 137th Avenue bridge in northwest Edmonton washed out due to record rainfall. * Epcor had initially planned, then cancelled, culvert work for this year. * Their reasoning: the damage "only" became significant after these recent, record-breaking storms.
It's just… it's frustrating, you know? Edmonton doesn't need your approval. Never did. But it does need its infrastructure to, you know, stay put. Especially when we're talking about major thoroughfares. Folks trying to get from St. Albert into the city, or just moving around the northwest, are now dealing with yet another detour. It's not just an inconvenience; it's a symptom of a larger issue. When you're trying to navigate Connors Road and 98th Avenue, which also closed due to flooding, it adds up. It makes you feel like you're constantly fighting the elements and, occasionally, the planning department.
Darren Fedoruk, MiTL Sports Desk.
You know who's always got the real lowdown on this stuff? The crew on the morning show. Catch 'em at mornings.live.